Gokul Niwas Gallery
Showcase the rich and diverse collection of textile from Mewar. The gallery
displays the living heritage of 200 years, carriedgeneration
to generation in the dress code and lifestyle of Maharanas.

Jas Prakash Gallery – Architecture and Conservation
Exhibition.

Description of the Royal City Palace is incomplete
without its architectural mention. This gallery showcases the architectural
style, trend and influences of the contemporary development of this majestic
structure.

Before the automobiles and vehicular chaos, the
royal family of Mewar uses the Thakats and Palkies or Palanquins traverse. Raj Niwas Gallery displayed the palanquins since the 17th century Mewar made
for different ceremonial or bridal occasions.

The gallery displays sculptures of eternal gods and
goddesses, celestial beauties and animal figures, acquired since the 6th
century. They are the finest collection of sculptures collected from the
damaged temples and other deteriorated sites of Mewar.

The Gallery comprises of 39 donated instruments
belonging to the Family of Mewar, it is displayed to engross the visitors,
especially the music enthusiasts. The gallery has 200 year old Tanpura with
painted base or Sitars made of pumpkins from Orissa.

The gallery house the glass artifacts
that boast of a rich bygone era. It is created by F.& C. Osler, the
foremost manufacturers of monumental cut glass luxury objects in and after the
Victorian era, this gallery is a fairytale in itself. The item of Crystal includes the dining table,
table, sofa set, washing bowl, goblet, tray, decanter, to perfume bottles,
candle stands, crockery and even beds. The main highlight of the gallery is the
jewel studded carpet.

The City Palace Museum, Udaipur is embellished with
an elegant lifestyle of ancient Mewar documenting the lives of the Maharanas.
With a different range of exhibits, these galleries restore and preserve the irreplaceable
age old traditions and rituals of Mewar, through time

Immersing into the saga of Mewar, let’s take a
virtual tour through the ornate galleries of City Palace, Udaipur.

Gallery-
Amar Mahal- Magnificance of Silver- Reflecting the best of Silver smithy

Being the only silver gallery of Asia, the complete exhibit is
dedicated to finest silver workmanship, throughout history. From basic silver
ornaments to the detailed silvery mandaps,
the gallery houses innumerable
old family heirlooms of the royal family of Mewar, providing an insight into
the silverwares of ancient Mewar.

Equipped with state-of-the-art light fittings and
adhering to international conservation standards; The Bhagwat Prakash gallery
is devoted to the show and exhibition of photographic materials. The 126
exhibits on display provide a photographic view of the reign of five successive
Maharanas of Mewar, from Maharana Swaroop Singh (r. 1842 – 1861) to Maharana
Bhupal Singh (r. 1930 – 1955); modify the visual depiction of a ruler from a distant
leader to a more approachable figure.

Fateh Niwas Gallery – Mewar Miniature Painting
Exhibition.

The city of Udaipur is Called for its proficiency in
miniature paintings with the history dating back to 1800 years. With the
earliest painting, courting back to 1715
A.D., this gallery exhibits approximately 200 paintings classified under the categories such as nobles, court life and
festivals, fairytale-like processions, animal fights, hunting scenes, places of
pilgrimage in Mewar and much More.

Fateh Niwas Gallery- Palace
Calendar Exhibition.

Palace of Mewar, since 1987, has been
following the rituals of publishing its yearly theme calendar, all of which
collectively are displayed in the gallery.

Fateh Niwas Gallery- Coat of
Arms Exhibition.

The Fateh Niwas Galleryexhibited
a huge collection of the Coats Of Arms from various princely states of India
along with the Coats Of Arms from the 22 former princely states of Rajasthan
and Coat of Arms of 14 princely states which spread throughout the country
after originating from Mewar.

Gokul Niwas
Gallery Showcase the rich and diverse collection of textile from Mewar. The
gallery displays the living heritage of 200 years, carriedgeneration
to generation in the dress code and lifestyle of Maharanas.

The ethereal
city of Udaipur has been known for its architectural marvels, romantic getaways
and cultural retreats for long.But
besides being one of the most romantic cities of the world, Udaipur has a lot
more to offer. Those who prefer to be on foot, let’s walk through this!

Architectural
magnificence
Udaipur is filled with imposing structures and architectural marvels. In
addition to the major attractions of Udaipur like City Palace, Jag Mandir, Lake
Palace and Kumbhalgarh fort; Ahar cenotaphs, Bagore ki Haveli and the Ranakpur temple are classic examples
of intricate architectural work and detailing.

Udaipur also
houses an ancient temple of Eklingji and Jagdish temple which are beautiful
prototypes of Indo-Aryan style of architecture. There is a solar observatory
too, which is an architectural wonder in itself. Surrounded by water from all
sides, Udaipur Solar Observatory is one of the best solar observing sites in
Asia, amongst the few in the world situated on land. If you’re on foot, you can
enjoy these best.

Legacy of Culture
Inherited the rich legacy of the culture through its lineage, Udaipur has
maintained the balance between the conserving its traditions while pacing ahead
in the Contemporary World. Be it their culinary art or clothing, festivals or
religion, popular folk music or dance; the
traces of Rajputana culture are evident all over. The small art and craft
bazaar at Shilpgram or the rich display of Rajasthani culture at Bharatiya Lok
Kala Mandir; laboriously represent the value of culture and art deeply rooted
in the everyday life of Mewar.

Garden
City of Rajasthan
In the mid of the desert, Udaipur is like an oasis of Thar, and has numerous
enchanting gardens to boast of Gulab Bagh, Nehru island garden or the succulent
Saheliyon ki Bari sprawl across acres of land. The most alluring garden of
Maids or the Saheliyon-ki-Bari is famous for man-made streams, lotus ponds,
marble fountains and incredible views. The pitter patter of water along the
lush green gardens of Aravali, demands to be enjoyed slow and steady.

Wildlife Excursions
for Adventure Enthusiast
Covered in the midst of the lush forests
of Aravali, Udaipur provides a natural habitat for various wild animals, birds
and reptiles. The wildlife reserve of Kumbhalgarh, Sajjangarh and Jaisamand
provide diverse opportunities for the adventure enthusiast. A trek through the
wilderness or adventure safaris through the reserve; Udaipur has abundant wild
quests to offer.

Shoppers
Paradise- Happy Shopping
Udaipur is a delight for every shopper, be it the hustle bustle of traditional
bazaars or the popular retail chains and shopping mall. Hathi Pol, Palace Road,
Bada Bazar or the Chetak Circle, Jewellery, Silver Ware, Clothing, pottery,
miniature painting, textile and much more, Udaipur has it all. Udaipur is
famous for its vibrant markets displaying the innumerable colors of Mewar.

Prince Khurram was witty and determined, but was a few brothers removed from being heir apparent to the Mughal throne. Over the next few years, the brothers ahead of him were removed in what might be called "suspicious circumstances". Needless to say, Khurram was not well liked at Court, particularly by Empress Nur Jahan, despite the fact the prince had married her niece, Mumtaz Mahal.

She wanted Prince Shahriyar (a youngster by one of Jahangir's lesser wives) to be named successor, mainly because he had married Nur Jahan's daughter, which would assure the Empress of continued power at Court. Nur Jahan worked with her husband.

Realizing his ambitions were being thwarted, Prince Khurram rebelled against his father and was supported by a strong Rajpur elite. When the Imperial Army put down his revolt, Khurram sought refuge in Udaipur, the capital of his friend Karan Singh, who immediately extended him hospitality Khurram's wife, Mumtaz, and two of their young sons, Dara and Aurangzeb, were with him.

Originally, they were allocated some apartments in the City Palace. However, a special domed palace was built at Jag Mandir for the Mughal prince, becoming known, appropriately, as Khuraram's Palace. There the rebel lived a quiet, safe existence for some months. Meanwhile, in an effort to pacify his father, and as a gesture of his target, Khurram sent his two young sons to the Mughal Court as "hostages".

Ultimately, Prince Khurram was forgiven, and he rejoined his father. Before he left Jag Mandir, Khurram embraced his gracious host, Maharana Karan Singh, and in a traditional ritual of respect, they exchanged turbans.

As a further mark of respect, and no doubt a thank you for his stay in Udaipur, Khurram restored five districts of Mewar taken by the Mughals, gave Karan Singh permission to reconstruct the old capital at Chittor, and presented his friend with a garnet of enormous value.

Fortunately, Jahangir did not seek vengeance against Mewar for having harbored his mutinous son. Not that he would have had an opportunity to do so, for there followed a series of amazing intrigues in the north, too complicated to recount in Mewar's story.

They climaxed with Jahangir's sudden death in 1627. Very quickly, pretenders to the Mughal throne, including Nur Jahan's son-in-law Shahriyar, were killed; Nur Jahan retired from public life; and Khurram was proclaimed the new Emperor of the mighty Mughal Empire, assuming his later famous title of Shah Jahan

Footnote to this story of unusual friendship and the orange turban. It is believed that jag Mandir's haughty dome and fine inlay work of semi-precious stones into the white marble impressed Shah Jahan. So much so that several years later, he is said to have incorporated these features in the superb tomb he built for his wife in Agra - The Taj Mahal.

The
incompetent successors and the ungovernable temper of Ari Singh led to the
further decline of Mewar. He has often been accused of unfairly occupying the
throne by removing his nephew, Rana Raj Singh II. Ari spent the first few days
of his reign antagonizing and estranging the nobles of Mewar. The Rana had to
surrender the district of Nimbahera to the Holkars who threatened to sack Mewar
if not complied with. Amidst such conflicts and battles for domination, Rana
Ari Singh fell at the hands of the Bundi Prince.

2.Rana Hamir Singh II – reigned 1772-78

Once the
most powerful clan of Rajasthan and North India, the Sisodiyas of Mewar had
lost their sheen by now. With frequent successions and no ruler being able to
restore their pride or revive the state of affairs; Mewar lost all its hope.
After the demise of Maharana Ari Singh II, he was succeeded by son Maharana
Hamir Singh II. When Maharana Hamir Singh II ascended the throne, he was just eleven years of age. The young
ruler did not rule long and died at the age of sixteen years under mysterious
circumstances reigning for a very small span of time. His younger brother
Maharana Bhim Singh, who was eight when Maharana Hamir Singh II died, succeeded
the throne of Mewar after him.

3.Rana Bhim Singh – reigned 1778-1828

Maharana
Bhim Singh was the sixty seventh ruler of the Mewar Dynasty. After 40 years, he
was the 4th minor that was crowned king at the age of 10! Maharana Bhim Singh too was hard pressed
for money and is said to have borrowed money from the king of Kota for one of
his marriages.

To get rid
of the Maratha menace, Bhim Singh joined hands with the British,

4.Maharana
Jawan Singh – reigned 1828-38

With the
likes of legendary Maharana Pratap and his son Maharana Amar Singh, or
celebrated Maharana Sanga and Maharana Kumbha; the Sisodiya clan of Mewar who
trace their lineage to the Sun God, produced abundant folklores of heroism,
chivalry and patriotism. He ruled Mewar for a span of ten years. Amongst failed
attempts and laid-back policies with no signs of improvement, he died at a
young age with no nominated heir. Sardar Singh, son of Shivadan Singh of Bagore
branch of Sisodiyas, the descendants of Maharana Sangram Singh II; succeeded
Maharana Jawan Singh.

5.Maharana Swaroop Singh – reigned 1842-1861

Maharana
Swaroop Singh ascended the throne in 1842, after the death of his predecessor
Maharana Sardar Singh. Maharana Sardar Singh had no son and before his death,
he formally adopted his brother Swaroop Singh as his nominated heir.

Maharana
Swaroop Singh ascended the throne in 1842, after the death of his predecessor
Maharana Sardar Singh. Maharana Sardar Singh had no son and before his death,
he formally adopted his brother Swaroop Singh as his nominated heir.

6.Maharana Shambhu Singh – reigned 1861-74

Maharana
Shambhu Singh, son of Shardul Singh from the Bagore branch of Mewar, the
descendants of Maharana Sangram Singh II; was adopted by Maharana Swarup Singh
as his nominated heir. Maharana Shambhu Singh ascended the throne as a minor
and a British Political agent was appointed to guide the young Maharana.
Maharana Shambhu Singh was considered a liberal and well managed king of his
times. But with his untimely death at a young age of twenty seven years, his
dreams of a revival of his homeland to the ancient golden times were stalled.

7.Rana Sajjan Singh – reigned 1874-84

Maharaja
Sajjan Singh brought back glory to the Sisodiya dynasty. He was a cousin of
Shambhu Singh and succeeded him after his death. Being a minor, he was assisted
in the administration of Mewar. Like his ancestors, he served in the
development of his people. A man of brilliance, Maharana Sajjan Singh ruled for
a mere ten years. As a visionary, he revived the glory and pride of the
Sisodiyas and Mewar in the short span of time he served; his era considered to
be a Renaissance in itself.

8.Maharana Fateh Singh – reigned 1884-1930

The Suryavanshi king of Mewar. Like a true Suryavanshi and following ancestral
footsteps, Maharana Fateh Singh ascended the throne with a visionary approach
towards Mewar. Born to the Shivrati branch, the descendants of the fourth son
of Maharana Sangram Singh; Maharana Fateh was first adopted by Gaj Singh and
later by Maharana Sajjan Singh, the ruler of Udaipur, both of whom had no heir.

9.Maharana Bhopal Singh – reigned 1930-55

A man with a
vision is most definitely the strongest. This suffices the tale of a king who
envisaged a life for himself and his people and fought the evil outside and
within. Maharana Bhopal Singh of Mewar was born to Maharana Fateh Singh. At a
young age of sixteen, he was paralyzed from waist down but this did not deter
him from replicating courage and bravery of his forefathers. He ascended the throne in 1930 after his
father’s death, but was exercising power since 1921 after the British curbed
his father Maharana Fateh Singh’s power and advised him to resign in favor of
his nominated heir.

10.Maharana
Bhagwat Singh – reigned 1955-84

Maharana
Bhagwat Singh was just another seventeen year old boy from the Shivrati branch
of Mewar, the descendants of Maharaj Arjun Singh, the fourth son of Maharana
Sangram Singh II; when Maharana Bhopal Singh adopted him as his heir. Ascending
the throne, Maharana Bhagwat Singh witnessed the Indian historical shifting.

The history behind a compelling city is seldom as beautiful
as the city itself. When Maharana Udai Singh II founded the city of Udaipur,
one can wonder what grandeur, he must have felt on discovering this truly
gifted part of the planet. Udai Singh’s reign from his new capital was short and
lasted only four years. The Maharana died in 1572 at the age of 42. He was
survived by 25 legitimate sons among whom Udai had proclaimed his favorite son,
Jagmal, as his successor. However, his nobles and chiefs politely removed
Jagmal and hailed Pratap as the King of Mewar.

2.Maharana Pratap Singh
– reigned 1572-1597

Maharana Pratap, the son of
Maharana Udai Singh, is the only Rajput ruler who is celebrated throughout the
country for his bravery and patriotism. He is popularly known in Rajasthan as Rana Kika or
Mewari Singh. Maharana Pratap died at
the age of 57, after sustaining an
injury while hunting.

3.Rana Amar Singh I –
reigned 1597-1620

Out of the 17 sons of Rana Pratap,
Amar Singh was the eldest, and to him passed the overwhelming task of
conquering Chittor. From his very childhood to the days of Pratap’s death, Amar
had been a stable companion in his valiant father’s toils and troubles. A great
warrior, he fulfilled his father’s last wish to capture the whole of Mewar; but
not Chittor. Amar Singh remodelled his kingdom and revamped the functioning of
his land.

4.Rana Karan Singh –
reigned 1620-28

Karan Singh was the successor to
the able son of Maharana Pratap, Rana Amar Singh, and mounted the throne of
Mewar in 1620. Karan Singh has been depicted as a laid-back ruler, but lacked
neither in courage nor in conduct. He mostly acted as a buffer between his
self-righteous father and the Mughal court.

Rana Karan Singh died in 1628 just before the
ascension of Shah Jahan and was succeeded by his son Rana Jagat Singh I.

5.Rana Jagat Singh I –
reigned 1628-54

Maharana Jagat Singh was the 57th
ruler of Mewar and succeeded Maharana Karan Singh II. He ruled for twenty-four
years from Udaipur and tranquillity and prosperity continued in the kingdom
during the period of Rana Jagat’s reign. He is known to be the greatest builder
of the Mewar dynasty.

The famous Jagmandir Island Palace was finally completed in
his rule, after its inception in 1551 by Maharana Amar Singh. It became the hot
spot for the royal family as a summer resort and pleasure palace for holding
parties.

6.Rana Raj Singh I –
reigned 1654- 1681

The last independent Maharana of
Mewar, Rana Raj Singh ascended the throne in 1654 and ruled during the reign of
Aurangzeb. The famous legend of Princess Roopmati of the kingdom of Roopnagar
is associated with him.

7.Maharana Jai Singh –
reigned 1681-1700

Jai Singh (lion of victory)
mounted the throne in 1681 after the death of his illustrious father Rana Raj
Singh I. Although his father had long distanced himself from the Mughals, Jai
Singh entered into a treaty with Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor.

8.Rana Amar Singh II –
reigned 1700-16

Amar Singh II was quite similar in
character and bravery like his distinguished namesake, Rana Amar Singh I. Amar
Singh II took advantage of the declining Mughal power and entered into a
private treaty with the Mughal heir apparent Shah Alam. His reign witnessed
continuous revolts in the Mughal Empire and the rebel kingdoms of Amber and
Marwar soon came to him for help. Rana Amar Singh II left behind a legacy of
being an independent and virtuous prince who upheld his independence and the
prosperity of his kingdom before the misrule of the Mughals.

9.Maharana Sangram Singh
II – reigned 1716-34

Sangram Singh or the lion of
battle succeeded Rana Amar Singh II in the year 1716 when the Mughal Empire was
disintegrating. He ascended the throne about the same time as Muhammad Shah,
who succeeded Farukhsiyyar, the Emperor. Sangram Singh II ruled for 18 years.
He recovered the lost territories of Mewar and the kingdom soon regained its
lost respect. His death in 1734 saw the emergence of the Maratha power during
his successor Jagat Singh II’s rule.

Rana
Jagat Singh II – reigned 1734-51

The eldest of the four sons of Sangram Singh,
Jagat Singh II ascended the throne in 1734. He started his reign with the
revival of the tripartite alliance formed by Rana Amar Singh II. Rana Jagat Singh II died in 1752 after a
reign filled of misrule. He was more interested in the pleasures of life rather
than governing his kingdom. A great patron of the arts, he enlarged his
palaces, erected villages all over the valley and conceived most of the
festivals that are still celebrated in Udaipur.

1 Rana Pratap Singh II – reigned 1752-55

Rana Pratap II (1752-55), nowhere
near his illustrious namesake, succeeded Jagat Singh in the year 1752. He ruled
merely for three years, marked only by repeated invasions of the Marathas. He
married a daughter of Raja Jai Singh of Amber from whom he begot a son who
later succeeded him. On his death the order of succession was reversed and his
uncle, Rana Ari Singh occupied the throne in 1762.

Rana Raj Singh II – reigned 1755-62

With the decline of the Mughal
Empire at the center, the history of Indian sub-continent was at a crucial
juncture, on the verge of marking a new beginning. Maharana Raj Singh II ruled
for seven years from Udaipur. While Maharana Raj Singh continued with
inadequacies, his sudden death at the age of eighteen years without any heir
made circumstances more critical.

A century later they shifted to Mewar in Rajasthan. The bravery
and tribute of the Sisodia clan are known everywhere – from the pages of
history books to the folklore of Rajasthan. "

The Mewar dynasty is the
world’s oldest existing dynasty with a time span of 1,500 years and 26 generations
and has outlived centuries of foreign
domination. Extremely possessive about their culture, tradition and honor, the
Sisodias have played an important role in medieval Indian history as tireless
upholders of Hindu traditions.

Maharana Pratap Singh once refused lunch with Raja Man Singh
because he had given away his sister in marriage to Prince Salim, later Mughal
Emperor Jahangir. Man Singh avenged this insult by defeating Pratap at the
battle of Haldighati. Maharana Pratap’s son Amar Singh made peace with the
Mughals but unable to accept his dishonor, he gave up his title in favor of his
son Maharana Karan Singh. Amar Singh left Udaipur never to see its landscape
again.

Maharana means Great Warrior, and the one from Udaipur is the highly
praised head of all the 36 Rajput clans. The title of Rana was adopted in the
12th century, when the Parihara prince
of Mandore awarded it to the Prince of Mewar.

The Mewar dynasty descends from the sun family and is hence known
as Suryavanshi (descendents of the Sun) with the sun as its insignia. The
Maharana of Udaipur is crowned only after being anointed with blood drawn from
the palm of a Bhil chieftain, who then leads the Maharana to the throne of
Mewar.